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Puerto Rican food is a bold, unique blend of Latin, African and Caribbean cuisine, using both native ingredients and imported elements. Often high in fat and sugar, this cuisine is as big on calories as it is on flavor. Whether just visiting or an island regular, you’re sure to experience food and drink that you’ll not soon forget, and that might kick-start start some serious cravings lasting long after you’ve left.

Influences

A typical Puerto Rican dish is derived from multiple cultural influences of the different ethnic groups who’ve come to settle the island nation and its environs. Puerto Rican cuisine is a one-of-a-kind mix of West African, Caribbean, Spanish and even American cooking, and it's not unusual to find meals offering a mix of native island ingredients such as cacao and plantains with African legumes and a Spanish flair for all things fried. Puerto Ricans refer to this multi-ethnic fare as “cocina criolla,” or creole cuisine.

Ingredients

Food in Puerto Rico is distinguished by its abundance of flavorful salty, meaty and crunchy dishes, as well as a regular repertoire of herbs and spices. Many Puerto Rican dishes start with sofrito, a thick, herbed and peppery vegetable sauce used as the base for a variety of recipes, from soups to chicken and rice. Similarly, a mixture of olive oil, garlic, oregano, lime juice and crushed peppers go into adobo, which is used to flavor many savory Puerto Rican dishes. Puerto Ricans complement their numerous chicken, pork and seafood creations with either a sweet or savory plantain dish. In fact, demand for plantains throughout the country is so high that much of the supply has to be imported.

Staple Dishes

Puerto Ricans frequently start off their meals with flavorful fried appetizers such as bacalaitos (codfish fritters) or empandadillas (meat or fish turnovers). Another popular Puerto Rican starter is soup, which generally consists of some type of bean and is heavily flavored with local herbs and spices. A heartier version of these soups is the typical Puerto Rican stew, a major dietary staple that typically incorporates chunky meat, potatoes and spices. Substantial meat pies using many of the same ingredients are also mainstays. During holidays or parties, a typical Caribbean-influenced dish of barbecued pig marinated in citrus sauce, or lechon asado, is served along with grilled plantains.

Drinks

Spicy Puerto Rican dishes are frequently paired with a cold cerveza such as the Puerto Rican Medalla brand or an import from Mexio or America. Despite beer‘s popularity, it is rum that stands out as top beverage, served up in several varieties, from amber to white, flavored or spiced, straight or on the rocks. The vast majority of rum purchased in the United States comes from Puerto Rico. There also is a wide array of rum cocktails available, from frosty, coconut-infused pina coladas to fruity planter’s punch. Many Puerto Ricans take a cue from their Spanish ancestors, ending their meals with a cup of strong, black coffee.

Desserts

The classic Puerto Rican dessert comes by way of Spain: flan, a sweet, custard mold flavored with caramel or brown sugar. More indigenous to the island are guava jam topped with white cheese, guava pudding or sweet potato balls mixed with cinnamon and coconut. Coconut also is frequently used in cookies, creams and bread pudding. Meanwhile, Puerto Rican chefs incorporate the island’s fresh tropical fruit to create simple yet flavorful fruit cocktails for a sweet meal ender.